Korede Abdullah in Lagos
Tensions escalated in Ikire, Osun State on Monday, as the purportedly reinstated Chairman of Irewole Local Government, Mr. Remi Abass, was allegedly killed by hoodlums linked to the ruling Peoples Democratic Party (PDP).
The crisis stemmed from a legal dispute over control of the local government, with the All Progressives Congress (APC) asserting that a recent Court of Appeal ruling reinstated sacked council officials, while the state government maintained that the election had been nullified by a Federal High Court decision.
On Monday morning, Abass and other dismissed officials reportedly took over the secretariat in line with the court’s verdict, but armed attackers stormed the premises to forcefully dislodge them.
During the ensuing violence, gunshots were exchanged, leading to Abass’s death and leaving several others injured. Witnesses described a chaotic scene, with armed men emerging from a building opposite the secretariat, allegedly targeting the chairman directly.
“The thugs came out from the building opposite the Secretariat, wielding guns. They deliberately targeted the council chairman. Many surrounded him and did not allow him to escape from the scene and killed him,” a source recounted.
The violence spilled onto the streets as hoodlums fired sporadically into the air, causing panic among residents and forcing motorists to flee the area.
Reacting to the incident, the Commissioner for Protocol and Government Affairs, Mr. Soji Ajeigbe, claimed that two PDP members, Ege and Igara, were also killed by gunmen working for the APC. “Apart from those killed, six others were injured while they were attempting to take over the Secretariat. We have deposited the bodies in the morgue while the injured are receiving treatment at the hospital,” he stated.
Meanwhile, Osun State Police spokesperson Yemisi Opalola assured the public that an investigation was underway to determine the circumstances surrounding the attack.
